The Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist who he was.
This is a great nugget of scripture. It does all the work for us, literally!
The heavy weight of the legal religious structure is a bondage, the Christian faith is born out of a liberating freedom from it.
As when Jesus was born and the wise men journeyed from the east, King Herod and the chief priests had no awareness of the new thing that God had just begun. Perhaps, if they had understood what he had previously said that may not have been the case, and yet while having knowledge of the scriptures, they had no heart for relationship with God that could hear his voice, ‘Look up to the stars’.
Had they not done their homework? ‘Who are you’? Is this not the carpenters son? In antiquity family roots mattered.
Zechariah, had responded to the Angel Gabriels pronouncement with a question, ‘How will I know this’? And when the baby was born, that which had been proclaimed beyond the veil, cried out ‘And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace’.
Zechariah in his silence had been a good student. He had developed a deeper understanding of the scriptures and of the prophetic ministry of his son. His son not only would have a ministry of turning fathers hearts to their children but also the forgiveness of sins. ‘How will I know this’, was answered through hearing the Word of God, in the text of scripture!
That is the contrast, and why the Angel Gabriel appeared to him at the right side of the altar of incense. Despite, being righteous before God and walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statues of the Lord, Zechariah was willing to learn in silence concerning the fulfillment of Gods prophetic Word: God shall provide himself a sacrifice.
Here we have the great contrast between the true line of the priesthood, that was given to aid the guilt of the repentant sinner under Mosaic law and that priesthood which cast the guilty down within the temple to be condemned for a sin, which in their own hearts they had all been guilty of. One is able to hear of the forgiveness of sins, through the lamb of sacrifice and one is self righteous and unable to detect that such a pride is from the very roots of original sin, and lacks a genuine understanding of that covering by which he clothed them.
The angel Gabriel, starts his discourse by speaking into Zechariah’s fear, by informing him that God had heard his prayer.
His obedient life, and his faithfulness to his fellow man and God, meant that the character of God could do no less. God combined the answer to this mans prayer down the years of his union with his wife, with the very moment he was chosen amongst his division while being their turn to be on duty. Perhaps, Zechariah had had to wait this length of time, so that Gods character was further understood.
The answer of Zechariah’s, prayer, was also an answer for all the people outside too. God just choose that the answer for those outside should start through the priesthood that was correctly on duty – to lighten the heavy burden and to break the yoke of bondage.
God has full sovereignty over the planets orbits in are universe, and God guided the wise men, not to Jerusalem but to Bethlehem. The mysterious yet ordered orbit of that bright star, is paralleled by the turning years of this faithful priest who was not chosen by lot, but divine providence.
The God of all creation, is inseparable from his creation, when God speaks through the heavenly bodies, he is looking for a reciprocation upon earth. Harmony, unity and union – to be of one accord. Made in the image of God, according to his likeness and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Could the fall of mankind be redeemed through any other likeness?
‘Do not be afraid’ spoken first. A form of fear had brought the self awareness that had told them they were naked. And when the presence of the Lord had come to share his rest with them, they hid themselves as they were afraid.
This great angel was at the right side, guarding the nature and integrity of the Word that can only bring life. The Word of God can only produce life, only after man has willfully and finitely rejected the nature of God, does God judge such an outcry! The Judge of all the earth will do justly, and he cannot grant his sustaining life to people who are opposed to the knowledge of his character.
Having been made in the image of God, God alone defines that which Justifies. We live in the age of grace, not because the final day of judgement has passed, but because a man chose the promises contained within the Word of God, of far more esteem than the wealth of corrupt and perverse Sodom.
Repentance is a consistent thread throughout the whole text of scripture. It is the only bridge into the grace of all the promises of God: God himself shall provide the sacrifice.
To the Jews and priests in Jerusalem only? NO, but unto every family and all the nations of the world. To all who are ‘outside’ the covenant promises of God.
The promise was unto every individual who can distinguish between the delight that is the sparkle in the amidst the deep abyss of the darkness of the night. All you have to do is look up!
But no lights shone during three hours at Calvary. All was pitch black. Abraham also had asked ‘How will I know’, and God showed this man, that the distinction would never come through the heavy weight and yoke of the law, but rather the light of the lamp that passed between the sacrifice. When the sun had gone down, Jesus was still the light of this world during those hours of darkness! He became sin who knew no sin, and despite darkness having no ground within him, he took the sins of the whole human race upon himself at Calvary.
How can a condemned sinner have any confidence before a Holy and righteous God, only through the blood of the lamb.
Despair, depression the dungeons of condemnation. But if you look up you will still hear his voice – Fear Not, ‘Today, you will be with me in paradise’. He is the light of this world because he has overcome the darkness. The dying thief began to see the sunrise of eternity, through the tender mercy of his God which had visited this earth from on high – he had obtained the wisdom of the justified, through beginning to fear God!
Fear not! No paradox, he is a just God, we cannot break his law by taking from another what belongs to them. But once we agree with his nature revealed, a man without fault and consistent to the laws of God, then he immediately speaks of the cool of the day.
At the cross the transition is more clearly heard and seen, as the light is passing between the sacrifice: For this my son was dead & is alive again.
God speaks to Zechariah’s fear first and then that his prayer has been heard, and that his wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son.
The original commission of God unto his image upon earth: both male and female, was that they were to bear fruit.
Zechariah’s prayer was according to the very cry within Gods own heart, how could this prayer not be heard! God heard the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, but this cry from deep within Zechariah mirrored that of Father Abraham: that from my own loins I may reproduce the original commission of God.
John the Baptist had the ministry he had, because before him his own Father had his whole heart turned towards him – John the Baptist was the answer to his Fathers prayer.
Eve had prayed and asked for another seed, another seed to replace Abel, who had offered the lamb according to that pattern of covering sacrifice, shown to him by his own Father. Cain had been disobedient to the pattern shown to his parents, and had brought what he judged from the labour of his own hands.
God answered her prayer and gave her another seedline, which began to call upon the name of the Lord, when he got the revelation of the Father through being given a son.
The family nuclei is a visible manifestation of the triune God, through whom the world was made.
No man, no matter his position or status can defined religious liberty as hatful when corrupting the very nature of the Creator through whom mankind was made in the likeness of. And if you read the Bible it clearly instructs us that God is incorruptible, and that is a truth that we will all encounter upon the final day of Judgement.
The new comes to us at the prophetic close of the old.
They came to John from a place that had no ark of the covenant abiding within its four walls. They came out to John from a place that the two tablets of stone with the commandments’ of God written could not be found – ground perhaps into a fine dust. God had removed them, because they could not give man a new heart, nor bring the union & harmony, only the hand of Jesus could write a newness of love: Neither do I condemn thee.
The Levite’s role was centered totally upon the temple sacrifice. But they are sent out to ask John who he is? That they are sent out to ask a question, shows us that God was speaking to the whole nation & nations concerning his provided sacrifice.
Despite the angel Gabriel having proclaimed unto his father that he would go before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, John quite righty declares that he is not Elijah.
John kept to his own personal script given to him, he declined to interject that which had been spoken to his father. He never overreached, and through this he is a blueprint of walking with God in the light given. What a hinderance the prophetic ministry can be to a life! But while John was encouraged by his birth, he only stood upon that which he had personally tested – like David facing his Goliath. And for John, this was his Goliath, it was the whole religious structure that had missed the birth of the Son of God.
How important was Johns confession about who he was not as to that which he came to bear witness to. Johns confession is perfectly timed to the very purpose of his life and ministry!
God was able to reveal and impart his own nature to John, at the crux of his humility before the priesthood and religious elite. Like Abraham, John would not use the blessing of God upon his ministry to obtain material wealth.
John recognized Jesus, as the Word of God had been his teacher. John understood that God would provide himself a sacrifice, not Elijah, nor Elisha, Moses or Abraham. Had this not be the primary message that Zechariah turned over unto him and spoke into his child’s heart.
John the Baptists whole life pivoted upon just two days. His humble confession to the heart of the religious system. Had John referred to the power of Elijah resting upon him, no doubt he may have been carried back to the temple to be made a central component. But John wanted no part of it, his heart was from the line of the true priesthood and carried the twelve tribes of Israel, despite ten already having been lost and dispersed among the nations. Johns, heart was for those coming out to wilderness, that they may have an answer to the cry within ever human heart: I have a void within that only light can fill. He came to bear witness to the light that is life.
The next day, having rejected a place and part of the old religious system, John sees Jesus, his cousin coming towards him, who he had not know as being the Lamb of God, despite that know concerning his birth.
Johns sees him as he has never seen him before. His intellectual knowledge, while woven unto him through the divine and spiritual hand of heaven itself, takes on a simplicity and breaks ever yoke he personally carried. Like his father in the temple, God has orbited the events of scripture being fulfilled and the priesthood coming out to him, perfectly with his own dear Sons confession!
Jesus never sinned, so his confession in coming out to John the Baptist was that he had come to be the blood (life) that turned the water into the newest best wine. His confession, was that he had come to fulfill all righteousness, and his Father had deemed it fitting that he also should be baptised.
That which had been learned of God by John and proven, was affirmed to him when Jesus immediately came to him the next day. The humility of God, is a seal on any mans ministry, nothing else communicates that contained within the covenant upon which the angels loved to gaze upon – the angels gazing from above, at the beauty of the humility of a great redeeming love. The Father further affirms it to be true after Jesus is plunged by John beneath that water line, by speaking a word of being well pleased.
All came out to be baptized, confessing their sin. And God, when his Son, the actual High priest according to the order Melchizedek, who some think founded the initial city of Jerusalem, while he was praying! The Father speaks a word not just unto his Son, as all things where made through his Son, he speaks a Word of being totally satisfied and well pleased with all who receive Him – John received a prophets reward, a righteousness that comes from God alone, this gives confidence and boldness for that great and final day.
What was Jesus praying for? Was he not praying that all who had been baptized might come to know his Father as he did. And how did he know his Father, perfect love, there is no fear in perfect love – he knew his Father was well pleased with him, it clothed Jesus with a perfect humility.
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, towards him personally. And he cried ‘Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’.
John saw the foundation that was laid before the foundation of the world, before the law and before ever man sinned and needed to repent. John saw an open heaven and a new covenant proceeding down out of heaven, from God himself.
And his disciple heard it, and followed the light of this life. A witness unto ‘all’ of the end of the text of scripture and the dawn of eternity.
John was the mightiest prophet and man born of women. He was an incredible witness to the ways of Gods redeeming love – religious servitude – taken away – welcome lamb of God.
Jesus found a man, and unlike the disciples of John, who where already following him, declares ‘Follow me’.
This man, Philip, went and found a man called Nathaniel and declared to him that they had found him, who is foretold in the scriptures. And he affirms to Nathaniel to ‘Come and see’. It’s another compressed illustration of Gods sharing with humanity his nature – Ch 1 v39.
Nathaniel replied to Jesus ‘How do you know me’? Isn’t this a recurring theme in this chapter. Who are you, who should we follow, is their one to who can forgive are sins, and is their one who can open heaven for all men.
God compressed into his very own likeness, full of grace walking each day amongst the sons of men.
Nathaniel, is overjoyed that Jesus knew him and saw him before Philip lifted him out of his negative stupor to arouse a curiosity. Nathaniel had also been in prayer, just like the people outside, just like Zechariah, just like Jesus at his baptism – a theme of talking directly to God from your heart – not religious fervor or cold condemnation .
When Nathaniel hears this, he responds ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.
John Baptist first, then the Father from heaven, then Andrew and then Nathaniel.
Repetition, harmony, unity and a sound of the cool of the day filling 120 with the rest of that dove. The gates of hell not prevailing over the prayers of Jesus for those sifted like Cains wheat – but the Son of God, is the lamb of are redemption.
Jesus closes this chapter by enthusing it with his perfect symmetry. Son of God, but he chooses to identify as the Son of Man. He chooses to, with a man who has just be lifted up and filled with revelation and expectation – it is a Word secure that God who placed each star in place, always has more to sustain us with and in his life – Hallelujah to the Lamb of God.
John Ch 1 v33 – Gen Ch 1 v3 – the shared plurality of light – God shared with John the Baptist his triune unity.
N.B.
I have had many encouragements this week, many from calls and a work context.
Locally, the Word was on Hebrews Ch 10 v11-25 – Rev Ch 12 v10-11. The preacher went then right back to Abraham and how he failed many times despite the direct and personal promise to him in Gen 15 – but how in Gen Ch 22 his trust in God was matured. We also sang ‘Before the throne of God above’, by Stuart Townsend which all combined to make it a great blessing.
eternalrays 